At 10 a.m. Thursday, Elections Supervisor Mike Bennett will conduct that recount as the candidates and their representatives look on. If the margin between the top two contenders remains narrow, the winner still may not be known until provisional and military ballots are counted as well.

As of Tuesday night, Palmetto City Commissioner Charles Smith led with 1,029 votes cast by residents of the district that flanks the Manatee River and includes parts of the cities of Bradenton and Palmetto. Michael Gallen, the incumbent, received 1,024 votes. Corie Holmes, another challenger, got 884 votes and is out of the race.

Either Smith or Gallen will become the Democratic nominee and face write-in contender Troy Thomas on Nov. 4.

“We will rerun every ballot from that district through the machine,” Bennett said. If the results differ, “then we will go through a hand recount.”

If the count remains the same, election officials will then examine the 57 paper ballots that the computer rejected because voters evidently marked the forms incorrectly.

The canvassing board — comprised of Bennett, Judge Mark Singer and County Commissioner Larry Bustle — will inspect each of those rejected ballots and determine if any should be counted toward the candidates’ totals.

If the results remain close, the canvassing board will have to wait until after 5 p.m. Thursday to examine three provisional ballots that were given to voters who failed to bring required identification to the polls.

Those three voters have until that 5 p.m. deadline to bring proper ID to the Elections Office.

Bennett said voters may wonder why he, as elections supervisor, cannot just declare a winner.

“I don’t declare winners,” Bennett said. “I count votes.”

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS

The Manatee County Commission District 2 election held Tuesday is subject to a recount. Here are the unofficial results:

• Michael Gallen, 1,024 votes, 34.2 percent

• Charles Smith, 1,029 votes, 34.37 percent

• Corie Holmes, 884 votes, 29.53 percent

SOURCE: Manatee County Supervisor of Elections

Last modified: August 28, 2014
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